Road-drag.



G. W. PARIS.

ROAD DRAG.

APPLICATION rum) 00m, 1913.

1,1 02, 1 89, Patented June 30,1914.

CHARLES W. FARIS, OF IOWA FALLS, IOWA.

ROAD-DRAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1914.

Application filed October 6, 1913. Serial No. 793,957.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Crmnnns 1V. Fame, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Iowa Falls, in the county of Hardin and State of Iowa,have invented a certain new and useful Road-Drag, of which the followingis a specification.

The object'of my invention is to provide a road drag of simple, durableand inexpensive construction. i

More particularly, it is my object to provide a road drag made offlexibly arranged blades, flexibly connected with each other and adaptedfor dragging the full width of a road at one operation, regardless ofinequalities in the surface of the road.

A further object of my invention is to provide a flexible road drag,provided with means for adjusting the dragging parts for crowning thecentral part of the highway.

A. further object is to provide improved means for flexibly andadjustably connecting the sections of a road drag.

A further object of this. invention is to provide draw bars supportedthroughout the major portion of their lengths above the ground and toprovide improved means for flexibly connecting thereto drag devices.

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction,combination and arrangement of the various parts of thedevice, wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of a road drag, embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 shows a rear elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 shows atransverse, sectional View through two of the dragging leaves or blades,illustrating the manner in which the successive blades are flexiblyconnected.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate generally the draw bars of my improved road drag which arenormally arranged with their inner ends 1 spaced somewhat apart fromeach other and which extend outwardly and forwardly from their innerends, as shown in Fig. 1. Each of the draw bars 10 is mounted at eachend upon a runner 11, arranged longitudinally of the drag. Rotatablymounted in the outer ends of the draw bars 10 are upright pipes or thelike 12. Each of the pipes 12 is connected by an elbow 13 with atransverse, horizontal pipe 1 1. normally spaced from each other. A rod15 is inserted into both of the pipes 14 for connecting them. At theinner ends of the pipes 1 1 are openings to receive headed bolts 16which are selectively received in openings 17 in the rod 15. The rod 15is provided with a plurality of the openings 17 so that the distance onthe transverse line between the forward outer ends of the bars 10 may bevaried as desired.

ltotatably mounted in the rear, adjacent ends of the bars 10, areupright pipes 18, each of which is connected by an elbow 19 with ashort, transverse, horizontal pipe 20. The pipes 20 receive a cross bar21 similar in construction to the cross bar 15 and provided with aplurality of openings 22. The pipes 20 are provided at their adjacentends with openings to receive headed bolts or the like 23, similar inconstruction to the bolts 16. Rods 24 are extended in a horizontal planethrough the bars 10, as shown in Fig. 1, and are screw threaded for aconsiderable distance. The rods 2 1 are pivoted to draw rods 26, whichextend forwardly in the machine in converging planes and may be pivotedat their forward ends to the ring or the like 27.

It will readily be seen that by varying the position of the nuts 25 onthe rods 24, the distance between the ring27 and the bars 10 may bevaried. Secured to the ring 27 are two chains 28 which extend.rearwardly. Secured to the forward sides of the inner ends of the bars10 are coil springs 29 having on their forward ends hooks 30, which maybe hooked into different links of the chains 28. B hooking the hooks 30into different lengths, the tension on the chains 29 may be regulated asdesired. Secured to each of the bars 10 is a plurality of draggingleaves or blades 31. The leaves 31 may be mounted in the followingmanner.

Bolts 32 may be extended through the bars 10. On their rear ends thebolts 32 are formed with eyelets 33. The blades or draggingleaves 31 arepreferablyarranged behind each draw bar in overlapping, trailingrelation, as shown in Fi 1. For securing the leaves 31 together and tothe bars 10, I provide a plurality of fastening devices'A, eachcomprising a shank 34 onone end of which is a downwardly and rearwardlyextended hook 35 and the other end of which a is screw threaded toreceive nuts 36 and 37.

The inner ends of the pipes 14: are

The shanks 34 are so constructed that the main bodies thereof may extendrearwardly in substantially longitudinal lines, the screw-threadedportions of said shanks being bent so that they may extend rearwardlyand away from the center of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1. The nuts 86are screwed on to the screw threaded portions of the shanks 34. Saidportions are then inserted through suitable openings in the sleeve 31and the nuts 37 are then screwed on to the free ends of said screwthreaded portions. The nuts 37 are formed with rear wardly extendingeyelets 88 to receive the hook members 35. The parts just described areso arranged that the screw threaded portion of the shank 34 of one ofthe fastening devices A is extended through each leaf 31, near each endthereof, and approximately in the middle thereof from top to bottom.

It will readily be seen that by raising the leaf 31 next to the rear orlast leaf of each series, the hook members 35 may be released from theeyelets 38 on the rear side of the raised leaf and the rearward leaf maybe detached from the drag. In this way all of the leaves may be readilydetached or attached without the use of tools. At the same time there islittle probability that the leaves will become detached during use.

It may be noted that the rods 15 and. 22 are somewhat smaller indiameter than the interior diameter of the pipes 14 and 20 so that someplay ispermitted.

In the practical use of my improved road drag any ordinary doubletreesor eveners may be secured to the ring 27. My drag is preferably made ofproper size so that the drive way or main traveled portion of thehighway may be dragged at once. As the drag is drawn forward propelledby any suitable motive power, it will be noted that the leaves 31 areflexibly mounted with relation to each other and that the drag sectionscomprising the respective bars 10 and the leaves secured thereto arealso flexibly connected with each other. The width of the path coveredby the drag may be varied. By spreading the pipes 14 away from eachother in the same way, the angles'formed by the bars 10 and the dragleaves with relation to the longitudinal axis of the machine and withrelation to the pathof travel may be varied as desired. By adjusting therods 15 and 21 in the pipes 14 and 20, the nuts 25 and the hooks 30 maybe adjusted to correspond; with. the adjustment of the rods justmentioned. By adjusting the hooks 30 the tension on the springs 29 maybe regulated.

It will readily be seen that dirt will be carried toward the center ofthe path dragged and the width of the strip thus crowned may be variedby adjusting the drag. The drag leaves are flexibly mounted in such away that they will readily pass over inequalities in the ground. By theuse of the chains 28 and the springs 29 the drag sections are held inapproximately the proper position at all times and at the same time I amable to secure a maximum flexibility of the sections with relation toeach other and to the leaves of each section.

" It will readily be seen that if the right hand section of the dragshould encounter obstacles and be held back, the tension on the righthand spring 29 will be increased and the tendency will be to draw theright hand section back to-its normal position.

It will readily be seen that the leaves may be attached or detachedwithout the use of tools, as desired, and that as many of sald leavesand as many series thereof as may be desired may be used. 4

The adjacent leaves of the two sections of the drag are arranged toextend slightly beyond the ends of the draw bars toward the median linesof the drag so that if desired the inner ends of the draw bars 10 may bebrought together and the whole of the way dragged by the leaves 31. Therods 15 and 21 are preferably of somewhat resilient material to formincreased flexibility of the drag.

lets 38 the nuts 87 cannot become unscrewed from the fastening devices.

It will be readily seen that some changes may be made in the details ofthe constructionof my device Without departing from its essentialfeatures and it is my intention to cover by this application any' suchchanges which maybe included within the scope of the appended claims.

Reference ishere made to my copending application Serial No. 716,418.

I claim as my invention:

1. A drag comprising a pair of draw bars normally arranged at an obtuseangle with relation to each other, and extending forwardly and outwardlyfrom their inner, adjacent ends,.means for adjustably and pivotallysecuring the'forward ends of the-draw bars together, means foradjustably and pivotally securing the rearward ends of the draw barstogether, draft rods secured to the respective draw bars and pivotallyconnected at their forward ends, and means for yieldingly securing theforward ends of said draft rods to the rear ends of said draw bars.

2. In a device of the class described, a pair of draw bars in spacedangular relation to each other, means for varying the angularity of saiddraw bars and for varying their spaced relation, draft rods, means foradj ustably securing said draft rods to said draw bars, and a pluralityof drag leaves flexibly connected with each of said draw bars.

3. In a device of the class described, a draw bar, a plurality of dragleaves arranged in overlapped, trailing relation to each other behindsaid draw bar, and means for securing said leaves to the draw bar and toeach other, comprising bolts secured to the draw bar, and fasteningdevices, each comprising a shank having a downwardly and rearwardlyextending hook formed on its forward end, a screw threaded portion atits other end bent at an obtuse angle to the body of the fasteningdevice, said screw threaded portions being inserted through said leaves,a nut on said screw threaded portion having an eyelet formed thereon,

the respective hooks being received in the eyelet in front of them.

4:. In a device of the class described, a pair of draw bars in spacedangular relation to each other, adjustable means for pivotallyconnecting the forward ends of the d aw bars with each other, said meansbeing raised above the draw bars to clear obstructions, adjustable meansfor pivotally connecting the rearward inner ends of the draw bars witheach other, said means being raised to clear obstructions passingbetween the inner ends of said draw bars, draft rods, means foradjustably connecting said draft rods with said draw bars, yieldingdevices for connecting the inner ends of the d aw bars with the forwardends of the draft rods, said means includin devices for varying thetension of said yielc ing devices.

Des Moincs, Iowa, September 24, 1913.

CHARLES W. FARIS.

WVitnesses F. D. Prim, E. E. BENEDICT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

